Andrew b



6 SheetsSheet 1.

I E. P. SHELDON. I BED MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES. No.549,261.

(N o Model.)-

Patented Nov. 5,195.

J JJ Q vVV/iivzesses 'dwmym A'NDREW B.GRAHAM. PHOTB-UTHD.WA5HINGTON. DO

/ 6 sheets sheet 2.-

(No Model.) I Y E. P- SH-] 1LDON. BED MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTINGMACHINES.

No. 549,261. Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

Wifnesses: Inventor mm/m im w. Q/u w AN DREW BJSRANAM.PNOTOimH-IWASNINGTON. QC.

' 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

B. P. SHELDON. BED MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES.

Patented Nov. 5

ANDREW BEHNMM. PHOTO-UWQWASHINGTON D.C.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

r tented Nov. 5, 1895.

Inventor v yziwfw ANDREW EGRANAM PHUTOUTHQWASHINGTGN, D C.

6 Sheets- 8mm; 5.

(No Model.)

B. P. SHELDON, BED MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 549,261. fgggnted N915, 1895.

Wiinasses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EDWARD P. SHELDON, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT HOE, THEO- DORE H.MEAD, AND CHARLES XV. CARPENTER, OE NEV YORK, N. Y.

BED-MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRlNTlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 549,261, dated. November5, 1895.

I Application filed April 3, 1895. Serial No. 544,245. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. SHELDON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Motions for CylinderPrinting-Machines, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates more particularly to the means for impartingrectilinear reciprocations to the beds of cylinder printing-machines.ing form is carried upon the reciprocating bed and an impression istaken therefrom by means of a rotating co-operating impressioncylinderwhich carries upon its surface the paper to be printed, the impressionbeing made while the bed is moving in one direction, called its printingrun, and the cylinder rising and rotating idly while the bed makes itsopposite movement, known as its non printing run. Such printing machinesmay have one, two, or more impressioncylinders and their reciprocatingbeds carry one two or more comlete rintin -forms and while thegreaterpart of their reciprocatory movement is accomplished at a high normalspeed, ordinarily by a rack-and-pinion mechanism, various means areemployed for reversin such movement at each end of C! its run in bothdirections by slowing it down to a state of rest and then starting it inthe .opposite direction and accelerating it to the high normal speed. Aperfect printing operation is accomplished in such printing-machineswhen the reciprocating bed and impressioncylinder move in perfectunison, and this is provided for by a rack carried by the bed and abed-driving pinion engaging therein, and since the non-printing run willbe accomplished by like means a second rack is provided for thatpurpose, and the alternate meshing of the bed-driving pinion to enableit to drive in opposite directions is commonly and well obtained byeither moving the said pinion horizontally or vertically out of one rackand into the other or by moving the racks in like manner. As the pinionin coaction with these racks performs the office of In such machines thetype or printmoving the bed only during the greater part of its movementin each direction, it follows from the nature of these mechanisms thatthey will drive at a high speed; but since upon the completion of themovement of the bed in either direction it must be reversed by beingretarded fromits maximum speed to a state of rest, and then not only bestarted in a contrary direction, but be accelerated to its maximumspeed, it follows that this reversing operation must not only be quicklymade in order to maintain a high speed, but be accomplished with theleast possible strain upon or jarring of the parts, While the shift idlyaccelerated to such normal speed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism forrapidly performing such reversing operations which shall be devoid ofany complication of parts intermediate the bed and the crank whereby itsreversal is accomplished, by which construction lost motion andconsequent strain or wear So and resulting jarring of the machine, whichinterferes with perfect printing, are reduced to the minimum.

The present invention consists in retarding the movement of the bed inone direction un- 8 5 til it comes to a state of rest, and then startingit in the contrary direction and accelerating it to its normal speed ofmovement by means of a crank carried by the bed-driving pinion andperiodically entered directly into and with- 0 drawn directly from ayoke carried by the bed, together with automatic means for concertedlymoving said driving-pinion out of and into gear with the bed-racks; andsaid invention also includes various constructions 5 and combinations ofparts, fully hereinafter described and explained in connection with thegeneral description and specifically set forth in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings as applied to an ordinary single-cylinder printingmachine; butthe invention is equally applicable to the many classes of cylinderprintin g-machines and to othermachines which i11- clude a reciprocatingmember, as is fully set forth in Patent No. 477,045, granted June 14,1892.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a side view of a portion of a cylinderprinting-machine as seen from the gear side, one side frame beingremoved to expose the interior parts and the position of some of thegearing being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an end elevation ofthe same, both side frames being in place. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theprincipal parts, taken just beneath the reciprocating bed, portionsbeing in section in order to illustrate others which would otherwise beobscure. Figs. at and 5 are respectively a sectional plan and a centralsectional elevation of the raising and lowering attachment for thebed-driving-pinion shaft. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan, and Fig. 7 asimilar side elevation, of the bed and its actuating mechanisms in theposition which they have when the bed in making its right-hand ornonprinting movement has completed the major part of the same throughthe operation of the rack-and-pinion mechanism and requires to bereversed. Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views showing the positions of theparts when the bed-reversin g crank has made a quarter-revd lution,during which the bed has finished its right-hand movement and reached astate of rest and is thereafter to make its left-hand or printingmovement. Figs. 10 and 11 are similar views showing the positions of theparts when the bed-reversin g crank has made a further qualter-revolution, during which the bed has been started in its left-handor printing movement and has not only been reversed but accelerated tothe high normal speed of the driving-pinion. Figs. 12 and 13 are similarviews showing the positions of the parts when the bed, having completedthe major part of its printing movement, driven by the rack-andpinionmechanism, requires to be reversed. Figs. 1i and 15 are similar viewsshowing the position of the parts when the reversing-crank in making aquarter revolution has completed the run of the bed in the printingdirection and brought it to a state of rest and is thereafter to makeits right-hand movement. Figs. 10 and 17 are similar views showing thepositions of the parts when the bed-reversing crank has made a furtherquarter-revolution, during which the bed has been started in itsright-hand or non -printing movement and has not only been moved butaccelerated to the high normal speed of the driving-pinion,

The printing-press illustrated as embodying the present improvementsconsists of a single impression-cylinder 51, which co-operates inperforming the printing operation with a reciprocating type-bed 52, uponwhich is carried a type form. The shaft of the cylinder 51 is mounted,as usual, in journals supported by side frames, said shaft beingprovided at one end with a wheel 54., through which it is rotated fromthe driving-shaft 55 by means of a wheel 56 on the latter andintermediates 57 58 61.

The type-bed 52 moves upon sliders 59, that run in horizontal ways 60,as is usual. The main or central part of the reciprocation of the bed isaccomplished by means of two racks 2O 21, suitably secured to its underside, which racks face each other and are set such a distance apart thatthe bed-driving pinion. 22 may be moved into engagement with either ofthem and when engaged with one rack will be free from the other. Thisbed-driving pinion 22 is of such size that it makes three revolutions toone complete reciprocation of the bed, it being geared with one rackduring one revolution while driving the bed through the major part ofits travel in one direction and being engaged with the opposite rackduring another revolution. while driving the bed through the major partof its movement in the opposite direction, and a one-half revolution ofit is performed at each end of the run of the bed when it is free fromthe racks, during which time the said bed controlled by the reversingmechanism, which slows it down and arrests its movement in one directionand then starts and accelerates its movement in the opposite direction.Such three-revolution pinion is preferred, as it has been found inpractice to be desirable; but the bed-driving pinion may have any otherappropriate number of revolutions to each reciprocation of the bed. Thisbed-driving pinion 22 is mounted so as to be capable of slidingvertically, it being mounted fast at the upper end of a shaft 9, that issustained and guided in an elongated bearing 23, that forms a part of aswinging bracket 21, the center of whose motion is an elongated bearing25, that swings upon a vertical shaft 26, secured in the frameworkparallel with the shaft 9. The primary function of this pinion 22 is todrive the bed through the principal or central portion of its movementin opposite directions by alternately meshing with the racks 2O 21, andit is constantly driven by means of a pinion 27, mounted fast upon theshaft 26. The shaft 26 is rotated by means of beveled gears 28 29 fromthe main drivingshaft 55. In Fig. 1 the arrow associated therewithindicates the direction in which the impression-cylinder constantlyrevolves and the arrow associated with the bed the direction in whichthe same moves when performing the printing operation. In making themajor portion of its travel in this direction the bed is driven by meansof the pinion 22 while meshed with the rack 20, and it driven throughoutthe major part of its run in the contrary or non printing directionwhile the bed-driving pinion 22 is meshed with the rack 21, as in Fig.16. In order that this pinion 22 may be alternately swung into meshingengagement first with one and then with the other of these racks forthis purpose, the swinging bracket 24, supporting the shaft 9 of thispinion, is regularly and timely vibrated by means of a cam 30, theperipheral groove of which is suitably shaped, as appears in Fig. 2. Toaccomplish this result, the cam 30 is mounted upon a shaft 31, suitablyjournaled in central brackets and in one side frame and continuouslyrotated by means of a wheel 32 and an intermediate 33 from a pinion 35on the main driving-shaft 55, the proportion of which wheel 55 to thatof 32 being as one is to three. A toe 36, fast to the inner end of thebracket 24, enters into the peripheral groove of the cam 30, whichlatter is so shaped and rotated that it moves the swinging bracket 24 inone direction to bring the pitch-line of the pinion 22 into the plane ofthe pitch-line of the rack 20, and thus not only causing the engagementof the rack and the pinion, but retaining the pinion so engaged with therack during one revolution of it while driving the bed in one direction,the cam then swinging the bracket so as to withdraw the pinion 22 fromthe rack 20 and carry its pitch-line into the plane of the pitch-line ofthe rack 21, so that it may enter said rack and remain meshed therewithduring another revolution of said pinion while driving the bed in thecontrary direction, the cam then again swinging the bracket to repeatthe movement first described. The pinion 22 by thus engaging the rack 20accomplishes the driving of the reciprocating bed through the major partof its movement in one direction to perform the printing operation, andby engaging with the rack 21 accomplishes the driving of the bed throughthe major part of its movement, which is then its non-printingoperation, during which latter movement the type-form carried by the bedreceives its first inking (being inked a second time as it moves in thecontrary direction) by a mechanism from which the form-rollers 37deposit the ink over the whole printing-surface, and the swingingbracket 24 is moved in-such timely relation with respect to themovements of the bed that the pinion 22 is smoothly engaged with anddisengaged from said racks, as will presently appear. Such a bed-drivingrack-and-pinion mechanism would be capable of running at a very highrate of speed if the reversing movement of a bed driven at such highspeed could be readily made; but it is necessary to overcome itsmomentum in one direction in order to stop it and its inertia in theopposite direction in order to restart it at both ends of its run, inorder to accomplish its reversal and thus enable it to be reciprocatedand be mainly driven by the rack-and-pinion mechanism. One of theobjects of this invention is to perform this reversing operation notonly in the quickest manner possible in order that a very high rate ofspeed may be maintained, but to so accomplish the reversing that thereshall be neither jar to the mapinion 22 in such position that its pathagrees with the pitch'line of the pinion. This crankpin 2 operates in ayoke 12, secured at one end of the bed, and in a yoke 13, secured at theopposite end of the bed. (See Fig. 6.) In traversing this yoke from oneend thereof, as in Fig. 6, to its center, as in Fig. 8, the crankpin 2will make a quarterrevolution and progressively slow down the said bedto a state of rest, and in traversing said yoke from the center, as inFig. 8, to the opposite end thereof, as in Fig. 10, the crank-pin 2 willmake a quarter-revolution and progressively start and accelerate the bedto a speed equal to the high speed at which the crank pin is traveling.At the beginning and ending of this operation the bed .is being drivenby the pinion 22, and hence the crankpin must come into action in theone case as the pinion becomes inactive and in the other go out ofaction as the pinion become active. To accomplish this the saidcrank-pin must be entered into one end of the said yoke while the bed,its yoke, and driving-pinion are travcling at the high speed of saidcrank-pin, and must be withdrawn from said yoke at the other end thereofat a likespeed when the bed, yoke, pinion, and crank-pin are.concertedly moving. In order to so enter and withdraw the crank-pinfrom the yoke, it is automatically raised and lowered at timelyintervals byv a vertical movement imparted to thedriving-pinion 22,which is made wide enough to admit of such movement while constantlygeared with the pinion 27. The shaft 9, carrying the'pinion 22, israised and lowered by means of a lever composed of arms 38 39,projecting from a rock-shaft 40, the arm 38 bearing against the lowerend of the shaft 9 and the arm 39 having a stud or bowl that runs in thegroove of a cam 41. This cam 41 is mounted upon a shaft 42 and driven atan appropriate speed by means of a pinion 43, which engages with thewheel 32. 'While another construction for performing this action mightbe adopted, that shown is a practical one, and since the driving-pinion22, as we have seen, not only rises and falls, but in addition to thisvertical movement is moved to and fro or swung. laterally,'the arm 38must be so connected thereto as to provide for this compound movement.The lower end of the shaft 9 is reduced therefore, so as to pass throughand revolve in a collar 14, that is hung by pivots in the branching endsof the arm 38, and this collar 14 is provided centrally with anelongated slot, in which the reduced part of said shaft plays as it ismoved laterally. The said collar is secured to the end of the shaft 9 bymeans of a bottom plate, as shown. By this construction the I11 Figs. 6and 7 the mechanismsare in the positions which they have attained whenthe bed, having completed the major part of its outward or non-printingmovement, driven by the pinion 22 and rack 21., requires to be reversedby being gradually slowed down from its highest speed and brought to astate of rest, as in Figs. 8 and 9, and then started in the oppositedirection and accelerated to its highest speed, and thereafter driven atthat speed during the major part of its run in the printing direction,or that of the arrows in Figs. 10 and 11, and then be again re I versedby being slowed down to astate of rest, as in Figs. 14: and 15, andstarted and accelerated in the contrary or non-printing direction, as inFigs. 16 and 17.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the bed 52 is wholly within 1 the control of the pinion22, which, meshed with the rack 21, will have driven the bed during themajor part of its non-printing run in the direction of the arrow at thehigh speed of and during one complete rotation of the saiddriving-pinion, at the end of which rotation, which is the position ofthe parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the pinion 22 is about to leave therack .21, at which time the crankpin 2 then disconnected from, butcoinciding in position with, the nearer end of the yoke 12, and whilethe crank-pin, the rack and pinion, and, of course, the bed are movingat the same surface speed, said crank-pin,

is raised directly upward into said yoke by the appropriate and timelyaction of the cam ll and begins its traversing movement in said yokesimultaneously with the disengage- I11 1 traversing this yoke 12 fromits nearer end, 1 as in Fig. 6, to its center, as in Fig. 8, the saidcrank-pin will operate to gradually slow down the movement of the beduntil it reaches ment of the pinion 22 from the rack 21.

the center of the yoke, when it will momentarily stop the same bycompletely arresting its movement, and While said crank pin moves from acentral position in said yoke, as in Fig. 8, to the farther end of thesaid yoke,

as in Fig. 10, it will gradually start and accelerate the bed in thedirection of the arrow to the high speed which it has when driven by thepinion 22, and during this traversing movement of the crank-pin from oneend of the yoke 12 to the other end thereof the cam 30 will operate toswing the pinion 22 laterally, so as to bring its pitchline intocoincidence with that of the rack 20, which rack it engages while thecrank-pin 2 is closely approaching the farther end of the yoke 12 andbeing withdrawn vertically therefrom by the timely depressing movementof the cam 41, through which the pinion 22 is lowered to withdraw saidcrank-pin, asin Fig. 11. lVhenthe withdrawal of the crank-pin 2 from theyoke 12 has been accomplished, the pinion 22 vill have entered into meshwith the rack 20, and the bed will then be wholly within the drivingcontrol of the pinion 22, which pinion will now, while making a completerevolution, drive the bed through the major part of its movement in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. 12, which is its printing run. When thepinion 22 reaches the other end of the rack 20 and is about to run outof the same, as in Fig. 12, the crank-pin 2 will then coincide inposition with the farther end of the yoke 13, as in Fig. 13, and whilethe crank-pin, together with the rack and pinion and the bed, is movingat a uniform speed said crankpin will be raised directly into thefarther end of said yoke by the timely operation of the cam 41. Nowwhile said crank-pin is traversing therefrom to the center of the yoke,as in Fig. 14, it will gradually slow down and momentarily arrest themovement of the bed in the position it has at the extreme end of its runin the printing direction, and while the crank-pin 2 is moving from thecenter of the yoke 13 to the nearer end thereof, as in Fig. 16, it willgradually start the said bed and move it with a constantly-acceleratedspeed in the direction of the arrow in said figure until the high speedof the drivingpinion 22 is attained, and during this traversing movementof the crank-pin from the farther end of the yoke to the nearer endthereof the cam 30 will swing the pinion 22 laterally, so as to bringits pitch-li11e into coincidence with that of the rack 21, which itengages while the crank-pin 2 is closely approaching the nearer end ofthe yoke 13 and being withdrawn therefrom by the action of the cam 41,which lowers the pinion 22. Upon the withdrawal of the crank-pin 2 fromthe yoke 13 the pinion 22 will have engaged the rack 21 and the bed willthen be wholly within the driving control of said pinion, as in Fig. 16,which will now, while making a complete revolution, drive the bedthrough the major part of its movement in the direction of the arrow orcause its non-printing run. Then this pinion reaches the other end ofthe rack 21 and is about to run out of the same, as in Fig. 6, thepositions will have been reached at which this description of thereciprocation of the bed was taken up. To facilitate the entrance of thecrank-pin 2 into the yokes and its withdrawal therefrom, its upper endmay be slightly beveled to aid these movements, or the ends of saidyokes may be slightly enlarged or cut away for the same purpose.

The mechanisms as illustrated herein are IIO arranged to work inconnection with facingracks arranged in the same horizontal plane. Ofcourse this plan necessitates the mounting of the driving-pinion 22 torun in a horizontal plane; but while the relation of these mechanismswill be maintained the planes-in which they are situated may be variedwithout departing from the invention embodied herein.

By the improvements herein described, whereby a yoke fixed to andcarried by the bed is directly engaged and driven in its reversingoperation by a crank, much simplicity in the mechanisms is obtained andgreat strength of parts secured, thus not only reducing liability ofvibration of the parts because of their small number, but by avoidingintermediate engaging links between the crank and the bed, whencejarring would be produced, providing solidity of structure, removingliability of wear, and affording a great degree of strength against thestrain to which the heavy parts necessary to be moved subject the restof the machine.

That is claimed is 1. The combination with a moving bed provided with ayoke at one end thereof, of a revolving reversing crank, and means foren terin g the crank pin directly into and withdrawing it directly fromsaid yoke while the yoke and pin are moving at a like speed of travel,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a reciprocating bed provided with a yoke atopposite ends thereof, of a revolving crank and means for entering thecrank pin directly into and Withdrawing it directly from said yokesalternately while the yokes and pin are moving at like speeds of travel,substantially as described.

3. The combination with a moving bed provided with a yoke at one endthereof, of a revolving crank, and means causing the crank pin to enterdirectly into one end of the yoke, then traverse the same and operate toretard and stop the movement of the bed in one direction and start andaccelerate it in a contrary direction and then to be directly withdrawnat the other end of the yoke, substantially as described.

4:. The combination with a reciprocating bed provided with a yoke ateach of the opposite ends thereof, of a revolving crank, and meanscausing its pin to enter directly into one end of the yoke, traverse thesame and operate to retard and stop the bed in one direction and startand accelerate it in a contrary direction and then be directly withdrawnfrom the other end of the yoke, at each end of the run of the bed,substantially as described.

5. The combination with a bed provided with a yoke at one end thereofand with two racks and a pinion for driving the same, of a crank pinrevolving with the pinion and means causing the pinion to leave one rackand the crank pin to enter directly into one end of the yoke, thentraverse the same and operate to retard and stop the movement of the bedin one direction and start and accelerate it in a contrary direction,and then to be directly withdrawn from the other end of the yoke as thepinion engages the other rack, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a bed provided with a yoke at each of theopposite ends thereof and with two racks and a pinion for driving thesame, of a crank pin revolving with the pinion and means causing thepinion to leave one rack and the crank pin to enter directly into oneend of the yoke, traverse the same and operate to retard and stop themovement of the bed in one direction, and start and accelerate it in acontrary direction, and then to be directly withdrawn from the other endof the yoke as the pinion engages the other rack, at both ends of therun of the bed, substantially as described.

7 The combination with a bed 52 provided with a yoke, as 12, and meansfor moving the bed in one direction, of a crank, its actuating shaft andmeans for raising and lowering said shaft to accomplish the entrance ofthe crank pin into and its exit from said yoke, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination with a bed 52 provided with a yoke, as 12, and with arack, as 20, and cooperating pinion 22 for moving the bed in onedirection, of a crank, its actuating shaft carrying said pinion 22,means for raising and lowering said shaft to enter the crank pin intoand withdraw it from said yoke, and with means for swinging said pinionlaterally to cause its engagement with and disengagement from said rack,substantially as described.

9. The combination with a bed 52 provided at each end with a yoke as 12,and with means for reciprocating the bed, of a crank, its actuatingshaft and means for raising and lowering said shaft to accomplish theentrance of the crank pin into and its exit from said yokes,substantially as described.

10. The combination with abed 52 provided with a yoke at each endthereof and with racks as 20, 21, and a cooperating pinion 22 for movingthe bed in opposite directions, of a crank, its actuating shaft carryingsaid pinion, means for raising and lowering said shaft to accomplish theentrance of the crank pin into and its exit from said yoke, and withmeans for swinging said pinion laterally to cause its engagement withand disengagement from said racks, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a bed 52 provided with a yoke as 12, and meansfor moving the bed in one direction, of a crank, its actuating shaft, alever 38 and cam 41, whereby said shaft is raised to accomplish theentrance of the crank pin into and its exit from said yoke,substantially as described.

12. The combination with a bed 52 provided with a yoke as 12, and with arack as 20, and

cooperating pinion 22 for moving the bed in one direction, of a crankthe actuating shaft whereof carries said pinion 22, a lever 38 and cam41 operating to raise and lower the shaft to accomplish the entrance ofthe crank pin into and its exit from said yoke, and a swinging frame 23supporting said shaft and a cam 30 for moving said frame laterally tocause the engagement with and its disengagement from said rack,substantially as described.

133. The combination with a bed 52 provided with a yoke as 12, and witha rack as 20, and cooperating pinion 22 for moving the bed in onedirection, of a crank, the actuating shaft whereof carries said pinion22, a lever 38 and cam 41 for raising and lowering the shaft to causethe entrance of the crank pin into and its exit from said yoke, aswinging frame 23 supporting said shaft and a cam 30 for swinging saidframe laterally to cause the pinion to engage with and disengage fromsaid rack, substantially as described.

14-. The combination with a bed 52 provided with a yoke as 12, at itsopposite ends and with two racks and cooperating pinion 22 forreciprocating the bed, of a crank, its actuating shaft carrying saidpinion, a lever 38 and cam 41 whereby said shaft is raised and loweredto enter the crank pin into and withdraw it from said yokes, and aswinging frame 23 that supports said shaft, and a cam 30 for moving thesame laterally to cause the pinion to engage with and disengage fromsaid racks alternately, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDXVARD P. SHELDON. \Vitnesses:

II. T. MUNsoN, A. L. KENT.

